Ironing-machine



E. J. MALONE.

IRONING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-23, I919.

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ERNEST J. MALONE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AS SIG NOR TO TROY LAUNDRY.MAGHIN ERY CO. LTD., OF CHICAGO,- ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

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Application filednugust 23, 1919. Serial No. 319,312.

have invented certain new and usefulIm provements in Ironing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ironing machines for flat work, and particularly that type of ironing machines which comprise in their organization a'series of steam chests and cooperating rolls between which a'work-piece successively passes in the operation ofdrying and smoothing it. i

In machines of this typethe successful'and speedy performance of the work is dependent upon the proper heating of all of the steam chests over which-the work'successively passes, and in an effort to accomplish this, it has been the practice to provide the several steam chests with connections leading from a live steam manifold, andalso with connections through which to drain off water of condensation; it has even been proposed in one instance to establish a steam passage directly through the steam chests, as by connecting together their opposed walls through the medium of short pipes or nipples. But in none of these arrangements have the steam chests been held at proper relative temperatures or proper uniformity of temperature from one end to the other of the individual steam chests, for the reason that the steam passed too readily from one steam chest to another, or passed around one or more of the steam chests, through the exhaust passages, to a steam chest beyond, so that the work passed through the machine more deliberately in order that the properly heated steam chests might make up the deficiency of the improperly heated chests, with the result that the capacity of the machine was proportionately reduced.

The present invention seeks to overcome the difficulty above outlined by insuring pas sage of steam through all of the steam chests and from end to end of each steam chest, together with the development in each steam chest of a steam pressure adequate to insure the desired heat therein.

Accordingly, one feature of the invention consists in connecting up the several steam chests in series, and circuitously in a manner to cause'the steam to pass into one end of the first steam chest, then along the length 5 Specification of Letters Patent. Patented july thereof, and thence out at the opposite end into the adjacent end of-the next steam chest which the steam also traverses, and so on throughout the series; the escape of water of condensation being-so controlled that it insuresan ample back pressure upon the steam to maintain the .desired heat. A further feature of the invention consists in utilizing, for the escape of water of con. dens'ation, the same connections through which the steam'passes from onechest to another. I

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates the preferred embodiment of the in vention I Figure 1 is a side elevation'of a mangle or ironing machine in which 'the'several features of the present invention are embodied; and

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view showing I the battery of steam chests separated: from the other mechanism of the machine but equipped with the'connections through which the steam passes circuitously through them in series.

A represents the frame; B the steam chests; and C the cooperating rollers of a known type of ironing machine. According to the present invention, steam supplied to the several steam chests B is through the medium of a pipe I) that enters at one end of the first steam chest B in the series, a

series of pipes connecting the respective ends of the intermediate chests with the corresponding ends of adjacent chests, and a pipe 6 through which steam or water of condensation escapes from that end of the last chest in the series which is opposite to the end at which the steam enters from the antecedent chest. Pipe 6 will preferably be connected to a suitable trap or other means whereby water of condensation will resist the free escape of steam suflicient to develop pressure in the last chest in the series. The connecting pipes b are located alternately at opposite sides of the. battery of chests, or at opposite ends of the chests which make up the battery, and each has a sufficient dip therein tocause the pipe to be sealed by the escaping water of condensation, and so develop in each chest a degree of heat corresponding to the pressure that must accumulate before the steam escapes past the sealing water to the next chest, or past the trap at the end of the series. In so escaping, the

steam carries with it some of the water of condensation, and this is repeated from chest to chest until the water finally reaches the discharge pipe but as each drop in pressure is immediately followed by the restoring or the water seal, the pressure is sufficiently near constant to maintain the heat as desired.

With the foregoing arrangement it will be seen that the back pressure or check against the escape of steam is cumulative, so that the greater pressure, and consequently the higher temperature, is developed in the first chest of the series where the greatest amount of moisture is to be evaporated from the incoming moist fabric to be ironed. It will also be seen that inasmuch as the battery of steam chests assumes an inclined position in machines of this type and the intermediate connecting pipes b are gradually decreased in dip, the resistance of sealing water in these pipes gradually decreases toward the end.

lilachines heated in accordance with the system herein described are found to admit of more rapid passage of the work through them, and the capacity of the machine is consequently increased, experience showing that the increase is from 25 to I claim:

1. In an ironing machine comprising a series of steam chests and coacting ironing members, combined steam cireulating and water-draining pipes connecting the respective ends of each steam chest with the chests adjacent thereto; said pipes having watertrapp-ing dips therein which retard the flow of steam 'therethrough and maintain steam pressure in the steam chests.

2. In an ironing machine comprising a 40 series of steam chests and coacting ironing members, combined steam-circulating and L water-draining pipes connecting the respec tive ends of each steam chest with the chests adjacent thereto; said pipes having water tive ends of each steam chest with the chests adjacent thereto; said pipes having water-' trapping dips therein which retard the flow of steam therethrough and maintain steam pressure in the steam chests, the series of chests being inclined downwardly, and the dips in the pipes decreasing in depth toward the discharge end of the series.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 19th day of August, 1919.

ERNEST J. MALONE. 

